2019 Subaru Forester: What to check before buying

Windshields crack and chip far more easily than owners expect. Many cracks begin at the lower edge, under the wipers, with no visible impact. Small pebble hits spread across the glass within minutes. Some cars go through two or three windshields before 24,000 miles, and cracks also show up on parked cars or on cold mornings. Dealers usually blame road debris and refuse warranty coverage. Replacements are costly, around $1,400 in one report, because the EyeSight camera has to be recalibrated afterward.

Windshields crack with no impact, often found when the owner comes back to a parked car or starts it in the morning. Cracks run long, from the base up or straight across the glass. Some owners get repeat cracks, including one on a windshield installed just 11 days earlier. Reported mileages cluster around 14,000 to 15,000 but reach as high as 118,000. Dealers seldom find a cause, and a few owners blame sudden temperature swings.

The dashboard suddenly fills with warnings: check engine, EyeSight off, RAB off, and a flashing S drive light. Driver-assist systems stop working, often at startup or after a highway drive. Dealers trace many cases to the thermo control valve, and owners cite code P2682 and a service bulletin. Weak or drained batteries cause similar warning floods and stalling at lights. The fire risk is serious: seven reports involve fire. Some started after deer strikes or low-speed collisions, and others started in wiring while the car sat parked and off.

Stalling in traffic, sometimes on highways, comes with no warning and a flood of dash lights. The usual cause is a failed thermo control valve, often logged as code P26A3. It also disables EyeSight and makes the throttle touchy. Failures appear from about 17,000 to 80,000 miles. Out-of-warranty quotes run from $1,200 to $2,500, and owners complain there is a bulletin but no recall. Auto stop/start often fails to restart the car, and some get repeat starter replacements. One report describes a rod bearing failure that required a new short block.

Most reports again point to the thermo control valve. Every warning light comes on, driver-assist systems shut off, the heater blows cold, and the engine may never warm up. Parts are on national back order, and some cars sit at the dealer for weeks. Repairs run $1,200 to $1,500 out of warranty. More serious reports describe cars rolling away while reportedly in park and stalls in traffic during auto stop/start. Another describes sudden acceleration into a wall that caused injuries. One CVT failed at 37,000 miles, with a $9,000 replacement quote.

Glass and the liftgate cause most of these complaints. Windshields crack without impact, one of them as the heated windshield warmed up, and one moonroof cracked four times in the same spot. The power liftgate stops opening and gives three short beeps until the battery is disconnected. Another power liftgate closed on a person and caused an injury. Manual liftgate struts quit holding the gate up. A rear latch opened while driving even after a recall repair. One crash involved the engine revving and the car accelerating with no brake response.

Airbags fail to deploy in serious crashes, including spinouts into barriers, multi-car rear-end collisions, and impacts at 30 to 35 mph or more. These reports include 10 injuries, and some describe seatbelts that did not lock. A separate problem is the front passenger sensor. It fails to detect light occupants, such as a 100-pound teen, so the passenger airbag stays off. Other cars show an airbag warning light that stays on, or an SRS light that appears after using the horn.

Two types of failure stand out. In the first, the car keeps going or lurches forward while the driver presses the brake, often while parking. In the second, automatic emergency braking slams on with an obstacle warning when nothing is ahead. Owners report this during lane changes and on sunny highways. Five reports involve crashes. Other complaints describe a brake pedal that sinks and brakes that lock on at highway speed along with a check engine light. A console object can also trigger the electronic parking brake.

Cars accelerate on their own at low speed, usually while pulling into parking spaces or moving off from a light. Brakes sometimes fail to stop the surge. Crashes into poles and parked cars caused injuries, including a fractured sternum. Dealers often find nothing wrong. Other owners describe a lurch forward when slowing through about 15 mph, a 1 to 1.5 second delay before acceleration at left turns, and an accelerator that stops responding at 65 mph. Reported mileages include 12,000 and 29,000.